Town Hall 12/10/03/5pm
Forum Link: Original Post Town Hall Chat Log 5pm PST 12/10 I've subtracted all the extraneous chatter and moved some lines around so that answers appear with the questions. I did my best, but there were a few ambiguous lines, so don't kill me if I put em on the wrong question. Some questions got overlooked in the flood of chat, they're noted. Philip Linden: OK everyone, thanks for coming. Philip Linden: Before we jump into the questions, Philip Linden: Perhaps I can summarize a bit from yesterday. Philip Linden: We announced an overview of 1.2 really early, Philip Linden: because we wanted to get everyone lots of advance notice. Philip Linden: But we didn't give enough info! Philip Linden: Like painfully. Philip Linden: Talking to people yesterday made that really clear. Philip Linden: So as to stuff that is important, but not mentioned in the mail: craziness happens with sims crashing Philip Linden: So just like the old taxes but simpler. Philip Linden: If you are making money or holding events, etc in SL today, Catherine Linden: Just a sec everyone - Philip's having a lag problem and will be back in a minute /craziness Philip Linden: OK we're back. Catherine Linden: Just a reminder if you've just come in, please IM me your questions and I'll deliver to PHiliip - thanks Philip Linden: So, as I was saying... Philip Linden: There will be a way to simply pay L$ for land fees, like before, but without object taxes. Philip Linden: Additionally, there will continue to be stipends and dwell bonuses and payments for events. Philip Linden: And reputation. Philip Linden: So basically all the systems many of us live by are still here. Philip Linden: And in addition, folks can make money and buy land. Philip Linden: Also, Philip Linden: we will give a grace period on deciding on any of these land fees Philip Linden: until January 12. Philip Linden: So that will hopefully help as well. Philip Linden: We are targeting releasing the new software in 2 weeks. Philip Linden: And should have the preview build up by monday. Philip Linden: S lets start with the questions. Catherine Linden: Dear Neil, You may have noticed a lot of discussion in the forums, in-world and in your inbox over the last two days - that's because b Pendari Lorentz: My question for Philip.. Will Linden's still offer L$ to those who host events? Philip Linden: Yes, we will still offer L$ to event hosters. Catherine Linden: Ananda Sandgrain: Multiparter about group projects: 1) If you own land in a sim can you use your prims anywhere in the sim or just on your own property? 2) Can you share or transfer your prim allocation to your friends? Philip Linden: Anywhere in the sim. Philip Linden: You will not be able to share allocations right away, but we are going to add that. Catherine Linden: Syd Roentgen: I have two: Will support for events change? And if you're on a more than monthly plan, do you have to wait until your next billing period to buy the right to more land? Philip Linden: Support for events will remain the same. Philip Linden: You do not need to wait to buy more land. You get billed at next period but can buy anytime. Catherine Linden: Mark Michelson: For the record: current non-lifers will get our 1024 limit on land and normal play privileges at NO continuing monthly cost? Philip Linden: Yes, non lifers will get 1024 meters and a stipend. Philip Linden: no costs. Catherine Linden: Cristiano Midnight: I would like to ask 'As a builder, I am far more concerned about prim count than land - there seems to be no mechanism to get more prims if you need them, only land. How does the land/prim system work together?' Philip Linden: You need to get more land to have more prims on it, yes, Philip Linden: but we are also working to increase the object count. Philip Linden: It will be higher in 1.2, and we will raise as quickly as we can. Philip Linden: The sims have huge capactiy, Philip Linden: big issue is rendering. Philip Linden: FPS Catherine Linden: Cienna Rand: Will new users be able to switch back and forth between owning land and not owning? ie, can someone start on one-time, own land for a month, decide they don't like owning it, and go back to nothing? Philip Linden: Yes you will be able to change back and forth, I don't know yet the exact policy, but yes. Catherine Linden: Jellin Pico: I had to buy a lot of land to get the prims I need for 1.2. Taxes are killing me! When will 1.2 get here? 2. When and how many new sims will come out? Please no coy answers like "soon" Philip Linden: Several will be released in 2wks... Philip Linden: more than 3 less than 10 Philip Linden: But yes new sims with release. Catherine Linden: Beryl Greenacre: If we own land in one sim but it isn't adjoining/connected, will we still be able to use the whole prim allotment for both pieces on just one piece? Philip Linden: IF the land is in one sim, you can use them anywhere Catherine Linden: odalisque VonLenard: I just recieved my account summary via email and in it the land amount includes my Lindenworld land, will Lindenworld land count towards alottment or is Lindenworld going to be bannished now? Philip Linden: Lindenworld will count against your allotment. Philip Linden: But of course no obligation to stay with it. Catherine Linden: odalisque VonLenard: Will there be rw $ incentives for Mentors and Instructors who's events MUST be held on Linden land therefore they won't be gaining dwell for their work? Philip Linden: They will be paid as in past. Those events on Linden land gain no dwell. Catherine Linden: Taeja Diaz: Will prims be distributed for each piece of land an avatar owns or will it be distributed based on all the land an avatar owns, and if so, how many prims wil you give per meter of land? Philip Linden: All land in the sim will count. Philip Linden: The limits will be higher than 10,000 per sim, but I don't know how high yet. Philip Linden: We are testing. Philip Linden: But higher than today. Catherine Linden: Taylor Portocarrero: I was wondring what impact having so many $9.95 players flooding in might have on the fact we cant get more than like 40 people in a sim for events Philip Linden: The FPS will be much higher in 1.2 so we should be able to do stuff like this better. Philip Linden: Noone is happy with the frame rate! Philip Linden: at events. Catherine Linden: Oz Spade: My question to philip is, what feature is he looking forward to most in 1.2? Philip Linden: Hmm... the notifier panel... Philip Linden: I guess you'll have to see it... Philip Linden: It is helpful. Philip Linden: Also the general UI, maybe most the FPS. Stuff like this will be fast. Catherine Linden: Oneironaut Escher: I understand that Lifers are set for life, but for non-lifers, is the 1,024 just a bonuse land grant, meaning they would have to pay for some land to get the bonus added? Philip Linden: No the deal is the same for lifers and non-lifers, differs only by amount. Philip Linden: The allocation is the 'right to own'... how you get the land is as before. Philip Linden: So taxes are different than buying. Catherine Linden: Jsecure Hanks: my sim is overloaded... Once you put in 1.2, how will you get the prims back off the prim hogs Philip Linden: We will send email to everyone with a list of parcels where the prims are over the limits. Philip Linden: There will be a grave period where you will have to delete them. Philip Linden: grace. Philip Linden: Ha! Catherine Linden: Faerie Muse: What happens to money & land we currently own? Philip Linden: Nothing happens, everything stays the same. Philip Linden: Those with more land that covered by the base allotment will get mail today or tommorow with the exact amount. Catherine Linden: Jamey Satyr: Will 1.2 include being able to script new animations for AVs, or is that coming in a later release? Philip Linden: No new animations or streaming anims yet, but we are working on it! Catherine Linden: Chip Midnight: Question: have any details been worked out about how the rewards system will work? I'm wondering how to predict what the value of my sales will be in the new economy, in RL$ rewards or otherwise... beyond having L to use for land auctions Philip Linden: The most important thing will be the L$ price for land fees... we will send out a schedule before end of week. Philip Linden: With exact prices. Philip Linden: BTW, that is a very hard thing to compute! Much modeling. I have been working on it all day. Catherine Linden: Cal Rogers: Philip, for those of us with 1/4th sim, can we buy 3 more lifetime accounts as an alternate to paying $75 per month? Philip Linden: Yes Cal you can... I guess we'd love that Catherine Linden: Neil Protagonist: On the note of paying for land, some of the forum posts mention paying with linden dollars, how will this differ from the current taxation system? Philip Linden: This will be like the current system but simpler, with no prims. Catherine Linden: Jellin Pico: 1. Will there be more M rated sims? In 2 weeks I mean. Philip Linden: Yes there will be new M sims. Catherine Linden: Brian Rutherford: when is the cut-off to be a lifer? Philip Linden: The cutoff is at release of 1.2, so probably 12/22. Philip Linden: That is our release target date. Catherine Linden: odalisque VonLenard: Do you expect that the exchange rate will be comparible to what we have now, what I mean is the land I own will cost me an addiitional $40 a month, but I have managed it with 4 events a week, my stipend and bonus thus far odalisque V Philip Linden: I think the rates will be comparable... as I said pretty tough to model, but comparable. Philip Linden: Being successful here will have similar impact as before.. Catherine Linden: Jordan Cotton: What new feature does 1.2 offer scripters? Philip Linden: Nothing major in terms of changes... I bet you'll like the FPS though! Philip Linden: I'd say that affects scripters. Philip Linden: Philip Linden: There will be PG sims too. Catherine Linden: Jsecure Hanks: If you're a lifer, is your 4,096m free for the rest of your life? Or just the first month? Philip Linden: It is free indefinitely, as with the lifetime accounts. Catherine Linden: Sapphire Bombay: Do you think releasing 1.2 right before xmas is prudent? Will your staff be in the office? Philip Linden: We will be able to handle support, yes... Philip Linden: We've moved our vacations around, etc. Philip Linden: We wanted to give those who had moe time over holidays to be able to play with new system. Philip Linden: So actually we though getting it out b4 christmas was good. Catherine Linden: Beryl Greenacre: When will you release more specific information on developer incentives? Philip Linden: The first info will be the rates on land fees, as we've been talking about. Philip Linden: The rest over next couple weeks. Philip Linden: Basically, the incentives seek to balance dwell and dollar based awards correctly. Philip Linden: So we are noodling on how best ot do that. Catherine Linden: Stroker Serpentine: Can we sell $L on ebay? Philip Linden: You can sell L$ on Ebay.... that doesn't mean we love it or hate it. Philip Linden: We just give you the right to do it. Jodiette Flower: can you repeat how much land a lifer gets? Philip Linden: 4096 square meters for a lifer. Catherine Linden: Jsecure Hanks: again if you're a lifer, is the 4,096 free for the first month or the lifetime of the player, or another time period Philip Linden: The allotment is for the life of the player/account... Philip Linden: not temporary. Philip Linden: BTW, Philip Linden: Right now everyone in the world owns 1.3Million meters of land. Philip Linden: With these changes, you all now have the right to buy 1.6Million meters. Philip Linden: So an increase of 300,000 meters.... about 5 sims! Philip Linden: So we are giving more not less. Catherine Linden: Faerie Muse: Let's say Cal Rogers buys four life-time memberships & is allocated to own an entire sim : ) How does he acquire the sim? Does he buy the land at auction in pieces and parts or would he be able to purchase one whole sim? phillip was still caught up on the last one and didn't answer, catherine didn't notice and went on Catherine Linden: Oneironaut Escher: My question clarifier is: People who sign up for a normal account between now and 1.2 implementation, will they still be grandfathered the 1,024? Philip Linden: Yes they will receive the 1024. Catherine Linden: odalisque VonLenard: At one time way back in beta we discussed the possibility of people being able to host privately owned servers...is this possibility now out of the question? Philip Linden: Hopefully SL will be 1.6M acres soon \ Philip Linden: Owning servers is definitely on our radar. Philip Linden: These changes bring us closer to that. Philip Linden: Ultimately a thing such as SL must be distributed in that way. Catherine Linden: Schwanson Schlegel: ok i pay monthly now, how much land can i still own paying $9.99 per month AND do I have to pay the other $9.99 fee in addition? again phillip was still talking about oda's question and never responded Catherine Linden: Flark Lorentz: Will there still be an y form of altitude of life tax? also, what happens if you cross sim boundaries with an object (say, a vehicle...) Philip Linden: No altitude or light taxes. Philip Linden: Crossing sim boundaries with vehicle will just work as before.... Philip Linden: There will be a budget for temporary stuff like vehicles in every sim. Catherine Linden: Apotheus Silverman: I currently have a year membership... can I simply upgrade to a lifetime membership for the difference or would I have to pay the full lifer fee? Philip Linden: You must pay the full fee to upgrade. Catherine Linden: Jellin Pico: In a land auction, in like a new sim, who gets preference? The person with $L or the person with a big RL wallet? Philip Linden: Neither, Philip Linden: We will do both types of auctions. Philip Linden: But each parcel will be one or the other. Catherine Linden: Pendari Lorentz: Question: We get a set amount of land free being grandfathered (regular or lifers), how soon will we be able to say we want to pay monthly to have more set aside? Philip Linden: Target is the 22nd, but as I mentioned, Philip Linden: You will also get a grace period if you are still deciding. Philip Linden: Until Jan 12th. Catherine Linden: Jordan Cotton: Where are the current sims located? Any on the East coast? Philip Linden: Current sims are south of market in San Francisco. Level3 bandwidth. Philip Linden: But they will be all over as we grow. Philip Linden: Backend is a true distributed net. Catherine Linden: Ananda Sandgrain: Multiparter about group projects: 1) If you own land in a sim can you use your prims anywhere in the sim or just on your own property? 2) Can you share or transfer your prim allocation to your friends? Philip Linden: You can use prims anywhere. edit: according to his earlier answer he means anywhere in the sim Philip Linden: You will be able to transfer allocation to others, but not at first release. Philip Linden: There will be spot in the UI, but not yet active Catherine Linden: Chip Midnight: What's considered good dwell now and how can we tell where we stand? I currently get about $30 a day in dwell. Philip Linden: For last month, top dwell was L$4085 for the whole month, I think. Philip Linden: 25th was $785. Philip Linden: So that is like 25/day up to 125 or so? Me math no so food. Catherine Linden: Hank Ramos: Just a basic question. Are these changes for LL or SL? I have no problem if LL needs these changes to keep SL going. Is this a change to fix problems with the SL economy? Philip Linden: We don't need the money. Philip Linden: We will likely make a bit less with these changes.... not our concern. Philip Linden: Our concern is to attract more users and give intense developers ability to make money and buy sims. Philip Linden: Incent content development and grow population. Drathor Kothari: I have to agree with Crow.. this seems very much like a survival issue.. stale growth, not enough revanue. Philip Linden: Nope Drathor... we've grown fastest in last few months! Philip Linden: We think, looking at the current economy, Philip Linden: that is will not scale. Socially or content-wise. Philip Linden: We have made tremendous progress. Philip Linden: This is the first close approach to a real digital world. Philip Linden: We will do whatever it takes to get over the bar and make it real. Philip Linden: We think these changes are crucial. Catherine Linden: Neil Protagonist: Since owning an entire sim (paying RL$) is now possible, what type of reporting tools will the lindens be giving these sim owners so they can monitor traffic etc, since its a much more business oriented approach? again apparently not answered, still rambling about the last bit Philip Linden: I've got to run home, but will be back online and with a bit mnore time at 8pm. Philip Linden: Thanks all!! Category:Town Hall Logs